Violence erupts in University college campus; student stabbed

: Violence erupted in the University college campus here with a student being stabbed Friday morning, police said.

Akhil, a third year Political Science student, who was sitting under a tree along with friends, was stabbed on the chest.

He was rushed to the Trivandrum medical college hospital.

Hospital sources said he would have to undergo surgery due to internal bleeding, but that his condition was stable.

Three other students were also injured in the attack.

Angry students demanded immediate arrest of the accused.

They said Akhil was singing a song, which irked the SFI students.

A case has been registered against six students, including college union leaders of the Students Federation of India (SFI), police said.

"We have also registered a case against around 20 unidentified students in connection with the incident," an investigating officer told PTI.

The incident was sequel to a dispute between two groups of students belonging to the pro-CPI(M) students wing.

Soon after the incident, angry students squatted on the road in front of the college gate and raised slogans, demanding justice.

Akhil also belongs to the SFI.

"We have searched the campus for the accused, but they were not there. We will conduct further searches at various other places tonight," police said.

Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala lashed out at the students wing of the CPI(M) and said the latest attack on the student showed the "terror face" of SFI.

"The SFI, which never allows any other student organisation to work inside the University College, has now turned towards its own workers.

This exposes the fascist attitude of SFI," he said in a release.

The Left government has asked the Education Department to submit a report on the issue.

Meanwhile, BJP state President P S Sreedharan Pillai also attacked the ruling CPI(M) and its student organisation and said no action has taken against such attacks, despite complaints by students.

University College, Thiruvananthapuram is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher education in India, established in 1866 to impart English education to the common folk of erstwhile Travancore by Sri Ayilyam Thirunal Rama Varma Maharaja.